Why don't antibiotics work against viruses? Understanding bacteria, viruses, and antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance directly causes nearly 1.27 million deaths yearly and contributes to about 4.95 million deaths globally, per the World Health Organization.

If unchecked, AMR could contribute to up to 10 million deaths annually by 2050, surpassing many major diseases.

Antibiotics are often misused for viral illnesses like the common cold, influenza, COVID-19, and dengue, accelerating resistance.

Bacteria are single-celled living organisms with their own cellular machinery; some cause diseases such as tuberculosis, typhoid, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections.

Viruses are not considered fully living organisms and require a host cell to replicate; antibiotics do not target them.